Folder and liner for shirt-centers.



I. C. HAWLEY.

FOLDER AND LINER FoR SHIRT CENTERS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.27, l9|3 Patented Dec. 10, 1918. Ffr'.

IN VE N TOR IIIINIIIIIII wf A TTORNE Y JOSEPH c. HAWLEY, or DUNCANNON,PENNSYLVANIA.

lFOLDER AND LINER FORSHIRT-CENTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

Application filed January 27, 1913. Serial No. 744,298.

To all whom t may concern.'

`Be it known that I, JOSEPH C. HAWLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Duncannon, in the county of Perry and State of Pennsylvania,have invented a ce1'- tain new and useful Folder and Liner ,forShirt-Centers, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of my invention is to place linings within shirt centers,preferably inserting a lining having a Width equal to the full Width ofthe space within the center, and, Where desired, to feed the centers andlinings to a sewing machine.

A further purpose of my invention is to automatically overlap a shirtcenter about a lining. l

A further purpose of my invention is to arch a lining for the purpose ofreducing the extreme distance between its edges while introducing itwithin a shirt center or in other location.

A further purpose of my invention is to spread a shirt center as itleaves the folder in its feed toward the machine needles.

A further purpose of my invention is to make the interior of a folderand of a lining placing mechanism within it accessible for regulation ofthe placing and feed of the fabrics therein.

Further purposes of my invention will appear in the specification andclaims thereof.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention by'two forms thereof whichhave been successfully used by me, which have proved to be simple,inexpensive and highly efficient and which at the same time wellillustrate the principles of my invention.

Figure l is a front elevatio-n of the preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section of the structure shown in Fig. 3upon line 3-3thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of the structure shown in Fig. 3 upon line4 4 thereof.l

Fig. 5 isa broken end view of a second form of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken upon the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section upon line 7*'7 of the structure shown in Fig. 6,omitting the bracket support. i

In the manufacture of shirts, particularly neglige shirts, it iscustomaryV to apply a decoration or facing upon one edge of the shirtwhere it is cut at the center and this facing is technically called ashirt center.

My invention finds such excellent illustration in its application tofolding, applying and lining shirt centers that I have preferred todescribe it and claim it in terms of shirts and centers, notwithstandingthat I recognize its usefulness in folding, applying and lining otherfabric facings, backings or strips and believe that such other uses ofthe principles of my invention are within the scope of this application.I, therefore, use the shirt and center terms as emblematic orrepresentative of any flexible parts which require folding and lining,or either of these within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Because of the difliculty of properly inserting linings within shirtcenters and other folded facings, edgings and backings, this work hasbeen performed by hand. My invention contemplates' the folding of thepart, herein called a shirt center and the proper insertion of a liningwithin the center, all ready to place upon the shirt, whether thecenter, with or `without a lining, be fed to the needles of a machineseparately or in conjunction with the garment, herein called the'shirtwith which it is thereby connected.

My invention is shown in the most convenient form, as an attachment forasewing machine, adapted to feed the center directly to the needles of asewing machine, of which one application is illustrated in the copendingapplication 'forv shirt centerin device filed jointly by me and byIVilliam Steell Jackson and in which four needles are shown asrepresentative of kany required or desired number or arrangement ofneedles required for the several seams to be made, whether kthese seamsbedecorative or required to unite the fabrics. The fourth would notordinarily be used unless the center were being one operation.

In order that my center lining mechanism may be of any suitable needles,Iprovide a bracket having base 22, end 23, top 24and rearwardlyextending support 25.

I will describe first my preferred form shown in Figs. 1%.' VMy liningdevice 26 is shown as supported at an angle, best seen in Fig. l, sothat the center, inclosing a lining where desired, comes out oftheVfolder at 27 and having its preferably overlapping placedupon the shirtat the properly supported `in frontl l forward end, with the result Q35,thereby interrupting 28, here shown as the bottom of the folder.

' beneath the presser foot where the center is sewed without attachingit to the shirt. This action takes piace whether thecenter be lined ornot.

There the center and shirt are not attached during the sewing operationupon the center, with or without inclosure of lining therein, itiscustomary to omit one row of stitches from the center, placing this seamwhen the parts are attached.

Omitting, for the present, consideration of the inclosed structure bywhich the lining is fed and properly placed, I will first describe thefolder for the center which surrounds it. This consists of the outercasing 29, slotted at 30, to permit access to the fabric from the topthroughout the greater partof the folder length, so that the feed ma fbe accelerated by hand and any stoppage corrected in that way, havingunder side 3l, joined to the upper side by curved edges 32. In both ofthe forms shown, the outer as well as the inner sides of this folder aretapered quite appreciably, except, preferably, for a short distancenea-r to the front and from, say, point 33, as best seen in Figs. 1 and3.

The outer casing surrounds an inner casing of approximately the sameshape and of nearly enough the same size in outside dimensions, ascompared with the inside of the outer casing, so as to provide a shallowpassage way 34 between them of about the same depth, across the fabric.The word depth is here used to indicate the distance across the passagebetween its inner and outer walls as measured perpendicularly to thesewalls. At the outer or rear end, because of the taper, the perimeter ofthis passage is much longer than that at the that the fabric beingfoldeddoes not have its edges in contact at the rear end, vwhere the stripfrom which the center is lformed is introduced, though these edges-aredesigned, in the illustrations, to overlap at the forward or de liveryend to any desired extent. The position of the overlapped edges may bepredetermined to bring it in the middle or at either side of the centerwidth.

I unite the inner and outer casings, as at the perimetrical continuityof the passages 34, uniting them at the rear end where .the fabricenters and where its edges have not been turned toward each othersufhciently to require this space.

It is not necessary to unite the casings for any considerable length ofthe folder, in order to support the one from the other. The passage istherefore made continuous perimetrically at the lower or inner end of mydevice so that the edges of the cloth 36, 37 forming the shirt center,may not only meet but there passat any designed point 33, (Fig. 4) inthe folder width, with the result that the fabric edges are completelyclosed and overlap, so that a row of stitches iay be formed through themby a needle appropriately placed.

The inner member, as so far described, forms a spreader or form, merely,to set the inner boundary of the folder passage within the outer casing.It performs another function, however, which is one of the main featuresof my invention. It is made hollow throughout its length to providepassage 39 for the fabric 40 forming a lining for the center.

The lower part of passage 39, as well as the lower part 342, of thepassage 34, is bowed or curved in cross section for a purpose more fullypointed out later. In the other form illustrated these lower parts arestraight in cross section.

In order that the lining within the passage 39 may be straightened outwhenever it kinks or becomes misplaced, I provide a slot 4l in thatwall, 42, which is shown as forming at the same time the lower wall ofthe passage 34 and the upper wall of the passage 39 throughout the majorparts of the lengths of these passages.

In order that the lining 40 may be fed within the passage 39selectively, without difficulty, I have extended the bottom of thispassage, in effect, as at 43, permitting the lining to be rested on thisextension and fed directly in therefrom. p

There the lower part, i. e., the discharge part, of the lining passagehas straight sides in cross section, it is diflicult to feed a lining ofsufiicient width through the passage, as the connecting walls at thesides limit the spread of the lining and are themselves closer togetherthan the inside width of the shirt center, which surrounds them.

In order to more fully fill the center width I prefer to use theconstruction shown best in Fig. 4 where the curvature of the lower partof the discharge end of the passage 39 at 392 permits me to use a lininghaving the same width or a width even somewhat wider than the width ofthe straight (upper) part of the discharge end 0f this passage 39. Thewidth of this straight discharge part of pase sage 39, largelydetermines and very nearly agrees with the ultimate interior width ofthe. folded center since the greater contour of the curved partincreases the extent of overlap of the fabric edges rather than thewidth of the folded center. The curvature of the lining, however,results in corresponding increase in the lining width when it isstraightened out. The curvature has been exaggerated in Fig. 4.

wider than the interior center width where any utility for this exists,using a relatively stiff lining as a spreaderif desired since it neednot Ibe folded at all, only curved slightly.

The form shown in Figs. 5,6 and 7 -is intended to be identical withvthat shown in Figs. l to 4 except for the contour of the lower part, i.e., the discharge end of the passages and their limiting walls. Theparts 29', 32, 34, and 39 are therefore like the correspondinglynumbered parts without the primes in Figs. 1V to 4, except as to thechanges required at the discharge end incident to making the rearportions of the shirt center and lining passages straight in crosssection asbest seen in'Fig. 7

In both forms shown by methe taper of the structure desirable for thefolding function results in the lining not requiring the full widthavailable for the inner casing at the rear end of the folder. It' can,of course, be given the full width if desired but in Fig. 3 I show thatI may spread the center at the front end as by wings 46, 47 which mayform part of the plate 4S, and that I may form the feed tube for thelining as of the intended liningwidth throughout its length, whether itbe straight; or curved in crosssection or, as shown, part straight andpart curved.

In this way I provide an outer folder for the shirt centers whichoverlaps themupon the under side in the form shown to any desired extentand at any position from side to side of the structure which may bedesired. The shifting of this point from side to side to produce theoverlap upon the right or left to any desired degree, or at the center,is a matter of convenience only, as is also the determination of whichedge shall lie outside the other, where this makes any difference.

Within the o-uter folder for the shirt center, I place a guide for thelining, which feeds the lining with absolute fidelity within the'foldedshirt center, filling the width to any extent desired and illustrated byme as filling substantially the entire width, or

the entire-width with .such crowding as may be wished, according to thedesire of the designer in view of my disclosure herein. The width filleddepends upon the width of channel provided at 39, the width of thelining itself with respect to the center width, and the amount ofcurvature which may be given, as in Fig. 4.

Vhen the shirt center emerges from the folder, it may be spread bysuitably mounted supporting edges, as seen at 49 and 50, with the resultthat the center Vis fully stretched to the intended internal width,insuring ample room and full seating for the lining, forming aparticularly neat, firm and smooth lined center. It is adapted to be lngguide providing fed directly under the presser foot of a sewing machineand sewed in this condition without yattachment toa shirt and I havesuccessfully used it in this way.

For structural reasons I have preferred to show the upper covering ofthe lining space asdouble, comprising the edges 6l and 62 and-the plate48 uniting them and filling out the requiredwidth for the inner member,limiting the outer passage through the most ofthe tapered part of itslength.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire tosec-ure by Letters Patent is l. In a device of the character stated,outer and inner walls tapering longitudinally and providing a fabricpassage therebetween, whose cross section at the discharge end isapproximately straight where the middle of the fabric passes, incombination with walls forming a lining passage extending longitudinallyof the first passage and walls and arched in its transverse section atthe discharge end, with the edges of the arch located at the approximateends of the straight section of the first passage and having the concaveside of the arch facing said straight section of the first passage.

2. In aA device of the character stated, outer and inner walls forming apassage characterized in cross section at the discharge end iby anapproximately straight portion where the middle of they fabric passesand having the remainder of the passage curved, in combination withwalls forming a lining passage characterized in cross section at thedischarge end by a curved contour corresponding generally to the contourof the adjoming part of the first passage and having the concave side ofthe curve facing the straight'portion of the first passage.

3. In a device of the character stated, outer and inner walls forming apassage characterized in cross section at the discharge end by anextended relatively-straight portion on one side, the passage beingreversely turned adjoining the straight portion at each end thereof, incombination with a wall forming a lining passage between it and theinner wall, said lining pas'- sage at the discharge end conformingsubstantially to the contour of the reversely turned portions of thefirst passage.

4. In a device of the character stated. a longitudinally tapered fabricfolder characterized in the cross section of the fabric passage at thedischarge end by a considerable straight portion, in combination with alina passage for a lining which is curved in cross section at thedischarge end, the chord of the curve paralleling the straight portionof the fabric passage. n

5.' In a device of the character stated,

outer and inner walls, longitudinally tapered and at the discharge endin transn verse sectionl approximately straight for a considerableportion of the passage and reversely turned at the ends of the straightpart, forming, opposite said straight portion, a portion of the fabricpassage of arched transverse section,y in combination with v an inclosedlining guide arched in transverse section near the discharge end, withthe concave side of the arch facing the straight portionsof the passage,and a spreader for the fabric at approximately the point of discharge ofthe lining from the lining guide.

6. In a device of the character stated, an outer casing having one sidetapered and of approximately straight Cross section throughout thegreater part of its length and another side curved in cross section atthe discharge end, in combination with an inner casing conformingsubstantially to the shape of the outer casing and forming a fabricpassage therebetween and a wall inside the inner casing, of curvedcrosssection at the dischargek end and providing a curved lining passagebetween it and the inner casing.

7 In a device of tlie character stated, an

outer Casing having one side approximately straight in cross section,tapered through- Copies of this patent may bey obtained for out the'greater part of 'its length and straight the remainder of its lengthand the opposite side straight in cross section part of its length andcurved in cross section at the discharge end, in combination with aninner casing conforming substantially to the shape of the outer easingto provide a foldguiding passage therebetween and walls forming aninterior lining passage within the casing of substantially uniformeffective width for the greater part of its length.

8.' In a device of the character stated, outer and inner walls taperinglongitudinally, of approximately straight transverse section on one sideat the discharge end and reversely turned at the ends of the straightsection to provide a folding passage for a fabricbetween the walls,walls forming a space of greater length tion at the discharge end of therst walls than the distance between the terminals of the straightsection, to'receive a lining, and a spreader in proximity to the edges0f the approximately straight side at delivery of the linincr to spreadthe folded fabric for the purpose of receiving the lining.

JOSEPH C. I'IAWLEY. Witnesses:

MARY E. REUTTER, CATHERINE RiEL HAWLEY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents.

Washington, D. C.

in transverse secthe point of y

